The Long game.
It’s so hard to see beyond our noses.
I just preached on the fear-frozen disciples, terror seized by the contrary wind and waves (Mark 6: 45f.)
Understandably, they went by what they saw and felt. Assessing the situation, they thought they were done for.
Jesus’ stunning words, “Buck up! It is I. Stop being afraid!” amazing ring into my ears and heart.
Your Lord Jesus expects courage, not because of our inner strength or conviction.
Not at all. It’s because He is Lord of creation and salvation. He’s running the show.
The world remains tumultuous: pompous in-your-face opening ceremony Olympic messaging against Christianity by mocking the Lord’s Supper, remaining uprisings of global unrest, the declining influence of a basic morality in America, what is one to do?
“Buck up!” “Have courage!”
“It is I.”
Jesus sees and works the long game.
While there is baseless complaint by anti-life proponents that there’s less access to abortions, abortions have increased. Don’t believe the cultural false prophets.
The early church lived in a very hostile environment. Infanticide was common. Newborns were killed, usually soon after birth. “But throughout the centuries the Christian church never wavered in its condemnation of infanticide,” (Alvin Schmidt, Under the Influence: How Christianity Transformed Civilization, p. 51).
Christians own the truth, because they are owned by the Truth, Jesus Christ.
Emperor Valentinian outlawed abortion, along with infanticide and child abandonment in 374 A.D. (Ibid, p. 59).
It is helpful when the God’s left-hand kingdom, the government, supports basic morality. But, of course, abortions and infanticide continued and…not every government is so inclined.
Many other examples could be cited but…improvement of a person’s or nation’s morality is not Jesus’ endgame.
It’s more Christians that He delivers to that new heaven and new earth (John 10:16).
Christians resist any untruth (lies) in both the government (state/culture) and in the spiritual sphere (church).
But ongoing confidence lies in the I Am.